Aphelocerus chondrus, OPITZ, 2005

OPITZ, WESTON, 2005, Classification, Natural History, And Evolution Of The Genus Aphelocerus Kirsch (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2005 (293), pp. 1-128 : 51-53

Aphelocerus chondrus , new species Figures 73 , 213 , 249 ; map 27

HOLOTYPE: Male. Panama, Bugaba , Champion ( BMNH). (Specimen point mounted, sex label affixed to paper point, white, machine printed; support card, white; locality label, white, machine printed; BMNH repository label, white, machine printed; holotype label, red, machine printed; plastic vial with abdomen and aedeagus.)

PARATYPES: One specimen from the same locality as the holotype ( WOPC, 1).

DIAGNOSIS: The outer margins of the elytra are subparallel. This along with the small size of these beetles (4 mm) will distinguish these beetles from the other aphelocerans with the pronotal disc microsculptured. From superficially similar A. chondrus , n.sp., spec­ imens, specimens of A. cohibilis , n.sp., may be distinguished by their more subquadrate pronotum (compare figs. 248, 249).

DESCRIPTION: Size: Length 4.0 mm; width 1.2 mm. Integument: Black. Vestiture: Integument densely vested with prominent light and dark setae; elytral middiscal setal tuft comprised of two patches; posterior patch much shorter than anterior patch. Head: Finely punctate; interocular depressions and frontal umbo moderately developed; eyes oval, moderately convex; width across eyes slightly narrower than width across pronotum (26:29); antenna (fig. 73) shorter than length of pronotum (28:30). Thorax: Pronotum slightly longer than broad (30:29), disc finely punctate and very finely microsculptured, anterior transverse depression conspicuous, side margins feebly arcuate; elytra feebly convex, depth at humerus 15, greatest depth in posterior half 20. Abdomen: Posterior margin of male pygidium feebly incised. Male genitalia: Tegmen as in figure 213.

VARIATION: The specimens examined were homogeneous.

NATURAL HISTORY: The two available specimens were collected from Bugaba, Panama whose altitude is about 300 m.

DISTRIBUTION (map 27): Known only from western Panama.

ETYMOLOGY: The trivial chondrus (granular) refers to the granular appearance of the pronotal disc.

Figures

Figs. 62–84. Antennae. 62. Aphelocerus sagittarius. 63. A. irroratus. 64. A. naevius. 65. A. triangulus. 66. A. extensivus. 67. A. humerus. 68. A. argus. 69. A. protenus. 70. A. arenatus. 71. A. patulus. 72. A. monteverde. 73. A. chondrus. 74. A. catie. 75. A. chiriqui. 76. A. immarginatus. 77. A. anticus. 78. A. yungas. 79. A. batesi. 80. A. bufustis. 81. A. acanthus. 82. A. sturnus. 83. A. myrmecoides. 84. A. scutellaris.

Figs. 193–214. Tegmina and phalli. 193. Aphelocerus delicatulus, tegmen. 194–195. A. bispineus (194, tegmen; 195, phallus). 196. A. aeneus, tegmen. 197. A. acuticolis, tegmen. 198. A. sculptillus, tegmen. 199. A. sabulosus, tegmen. 200–201. A. akis (200, phallus; 201, tegmen). 202–203. A. chelonus (202, tegmen; 203, phallus). 204. A. scalenus, tegmen. 205. A. ebenus, tegmen. 206. A. hespenheidei, tegmen. 207–208. A. ciliaris (207, tegmen; 208, phallus). 209. A. turnbowi, tegmen. 210. A. improcerus. 211. A. anticus, tegmen. 212. A. inbatus, tegmen. 213. A. chondrus, tegmen. 214. A. monteverde. tegmen.

Figs. 248–255. Pronota, pygidium, sixth visible abdominal sternum, tarsal claws. 248. Aphelocerus. cohibilis, pronotum (dorsal view). 249. A. chondrus (dorsal view). 250. A. improcerus, pronotum (dorsal view). 251. A. protenus, pronotum (dorsal view). 252–253. A. vietus, male (252, pygidium; 253, sixth visible abdominal sternum). 254. A. patulus, female pygidium. 255a. A. leucomelas, tarsal claws. 255b. A. bispineus habitus. 255c. A. ciliaris habitus.